speaking of christmas

[Abejita]

any of your Pasos carry/wear jingle bells?I have some and I am thinking of trying to get one or two used to them next year..I have some heart shaped breast plates with 3 larger bells (ok the BOSS does) I might start with and I and the boss also have the girth straps with bells..his are pretty large (used to have driving morgans) mine is a nice small set..any ideas or suggestions..?Do they sound good or bad with our four beat gait?

[Mellifluous]

They sound wonderful. I made Phoebe a garland necklace and put some bells on it. I am also putting some bells in her mane today. You might want to try them at home. Put some on something you can hold in your hand - you can toss them away if the horse does not like the noise while riding.

I have never put bells on her before today, but we rode with someone who's horse was covered in bells on Thurs and she didn't give them a second glance.

Kevin says that I am trying to drive the poor horse mad with all of the crap I try with her. I told him that I am just lucky to have a very tolerant horse.

[Terri]

Bells are great!!! We had them on yesterday (we are in the middle of hunting season) But we jingled where ever we went. It sounded great. It didn't bother any of the horses.

[CarolU]

Kevin says that I am trying to drive the poor horse mad with all of the crap I try with her. I told him that I am just lucky to have a very tolerant horse.

Actually, I think it is the other way around. As long as you do all these things with her, she will be tolerent. It is when we shelter horses and keep them in a sterile environment and don't try anything new, that we get a spooky horse that is intolerent.

Keep it up!

Sherri, I would lead her around carrying and ringing the bells until she is desensitized to them. Then work closer to her until you can walk all around her with them. Then get on and have some one hand them to you and ride with them until she is bored with them. If she spooks at all, DROP them. Don't tie them on her until she is totally desensitized to them.

Tell us how she does, I'm sure she'll do fine. I had Rosie in a grass skirt this year...it was very noisy. Just time and patience.

[Abejita]

I bet Abejita will take to them..but Bruja MIGHT be a different story lol

[dana]

I bet it would sound Great!
we use the big girth of bells on the clydes we drive. of course, they TROT, so it sounds wonderful!
we should have pictures tho, ya know!

[Abejita]

well once they get home from the trainers and we get through the holidays I will start..but holding a horse..a string of sleigh bells and a camera..well that would be some feat! :lol:

[CarolU]

I know what you mean Sheri, I would really LOVE a remote control shutter for my camera!!! I have asked Santa for a little wrap around (rail) tripod and a small digital video camera. Then I can ride over, turn on the camera and then catch it on video.

I'd still love a remote though.

[Helene]

A couple of years back we took two Pasos to the "Parade of Lights" in Colorado Springs. There were over 100,000 spectators. We put bells, tinsel, lights on breastcollars and bells on the front feet (the bells fell off after a while of cortoing)....did a dress rehearsal in the afternoon first. Both horses were fantasatic and the sound of all the bells were wonderful...It diddn't seem to bother either horse after a couple of steps or so...It was fun for the horses and my kids who rode them...

[GeorgeGuns]

You can get those bells singly at craft stores, tie one or two to your legs when you feed, I bet the lovely jingle becomes a welcome sound real fast!

[Abejita]

Oh THAT would go over real big (talking about Steve more than the horses )LOL

[hast]

I have some old antique bells, the sound is absolutely awesome. I tie them on Michico for every Christmas parade, and sometimes in-between... and he hates it with a passion :roll: It doesn't matter how many times he has them on, he always spooks somewhat when he first start to move with them. They sound absolutely fantastic while his feet go 100 mph. :lol:

[GeorgeGuns]

Oh THAT would go over real big (talking about Steve more than the horses )LOL
Maybe Steve needs to be desensitized?

[Abejita]

more like de-grumpitized... :roll:

[Mellifluous]

Phoebe's bell report.

I threw some bells on Phoebe right before the parade on Sunday. She never noticed them. I really think the human has a lot to do with how the horse reacts to something like that. If the human is obviously worried and fussing over something it must be worthy to spook about. Every time I do something new with Phoebe, I just act like it is the most normal thing in the world - noting new or exciting. The technique has worked great for me so far. If I do a parade Friday night, I will add the lights around her neck along with the bells and garland.

[CarolU]

If you are going to add lights, make sure they don't get hot against her. Only have them on your saddle or something.

[nola]

ok, I've some bells here Sheri. When you come to visit we'll try them out on Abejita.